Did Age Discrimination Protections Help Older Workers Weather the Great Recession?

The Great Recession led to large increases in unemployment rates and unemployment durations for workers of all ages, but the duration of unemployment for older workers rose far more dramatically. The increase in unemployment durations for older workers has led to speculation that age discrimination plays a role. Many states offer stronger protection against age discrimination than is offered under the federal Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA). This paper explores whether these stronger age discrimination protections at the state level acted to protect older workers during the Great Recession.